1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an auxiliary machine module which can connector-connect an auxiliary machine such as an in-vehicle CCD camera, base plate equipped with the auxiliary machine and case on which the auxiliary machine and base plate are installed, thus providing good productivity and high production yield.
2. Description of the Related Art
Now referring to FIGS. 13 to 16, an explanation will be given of conventional camera modules Y and Z. FIG. 13 is a partially enlarged view of a wire harness 4 connected to a clamp 10 equipped with an O-ring 11. The clamp 10 is provided with the O-ring 11 in order to keep airtightness when the clamp 10 is attached to a camera case 3.
The clamp 10 includes a thread cutting portion 10a which permits the clamp 10 to be surely secured to a camera case 3, a hexagonal head 10b which is used when the clamp 10 is secured to the camera case by screw-tightening, and a flange 10c which generates tightening force between the clamp 10 and camera case 3 and facilitates the sealing function of the O ring.
The clamp 10 has an internal though-hole 10d through which electric wires such as cables 4a, and drain wire 4axe2x80x2 (hereinafter generally referred to as cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2) are to pass. As seen from FIG. 14, the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 are passed through the through-hole of the clamp 10 equipped with the O-ring 11. Terminals 5p are attached to the ends of the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2, respectively.
After the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 have been passed through the through-hole 10d of the clamp 10, they are subjected to processing of potting. The potting is to pour soft rubber or soft resin such as epoxy polymer into a predetermined position to be sealed.
The potting permits the individual cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 to be sealed completely so that entry of water, dust, etc. in the interior of the camera case or camera can be prevented. The sealing of the area subjected to the potting can be confirmed in terms of airtightness or watertightness due to moistening.
FIGS. 14 and 15 are perspective views each showing the assembly of camera modules Y and Z equipped with a conventional in-vehicle CCD camera. The camera module Y includes a camera 1 such as an in-vehicle CCD camera and a base plate 2 to which the camera 1 is attached. The camera module Z includes the camera module Y, a camera case 3 to which the camera module Y is attached and a wire harness 4 of various kinds of cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 tied in a bundle.
FIGS. 14 and 15 show the process of assembling the conventional camera module. Specifically, FIG. 15 shows an inconvenience occurring when the camera module Y is mounted in the camera case 3. FIG. 16 shows a conceptual view of the section taken in line Rxe2x80x94R in FIGS. 14 and 15 and connection of the wire harness 4, more specifically shows the state where the wire harness 4 is attached to the camera case 3 through the clamp 10.
Meanwhile, the CCD (charged coupled device) is a device for converting an optical signal such as an image into an electric signal using a semiconductor device which is reactive to light. The CCD is a semiconductor device developed in 1970 by Bell Telephone in USA. Generally, the image quality of the CCD depends on the number of pixels, which is set in a wide range of several hundred thousands to several millions. The number of pixels may be further increased in accordance with demands.
The CCD has been widely used in cameras such as a digital camera, video camera, etc. and copy machines such as facsimile, scanner, photocopying machine, laser beam printer, etc. In the case of the digital camera, the CCD is arranged in place of a silver film at a focal point. In recent years, the CCD having a large number of pixels has become inexpensive. This greatly contributes to low-price and high image quality of the digital camera.
A detailed explanation will be given of each of components of the conventional camera module Z. A camera 1 is composed of a lens 1c and a lens peripheral portion 1d for securing it. The camera 1 is attached to a base plate 2 which is mainly constructed of a base plate body 2xe2x80x2. Electric components such as connectors for electrical connection are installed on the base plate body 2xe2x80x2. The base plate body 2xe2x80x2 is provided with a connector housing 2c related to the connector. Four through-holes 2b through which screws 13b are passed to secure the base plate 2 to a camera case 3 are made in the vicinity of four corners of the base plate body 2xe2x80x2.
The camera case 3 is constructed of a bottom wall 3c and side walls 3d, 3dxe2x80x2 which encircle its four sides. A cylindrical projection 3g, which serves to secure the clamp 10 and seal the inside of the camera case 3, is attached to the side wall 3dxe2x80x2. Securing pieces 3a for securing the base plate 2 equipped with the camera 1 are provided at four corners of a chamber 3e of the camera case 3. A female hole 3b is made in each of the securing pieces 3a. 
Now referring to FIG. 16, a detailed explanation will be given of the attaching state between the clamp 10 and camera case 3. A through-hole 3f through which a wire harness 4, i.e. a bundle of cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 is passed is made in the side wall 3dxe2x80x2 of the camera case 3. A female screw grove is formed on the inner peripheral face of the through-hole 3f so that it is screwed with a screwed portion 10a of the clamp 10, thereby surely securing the clamp 10.
The clamp 10 with the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 shown in FIG. 13 is fit in the through-hole 3f. The screwed portion 10a of the clamp 10 is engaged with the screwed through-hole of the camera case 3. Thus, the clamp 10 is secured to the camera case 3 as also shown in FIG. 16.
The cylindrical projection 3g keeps the airtightness by the O-ring 11 so that it serves as a shading plate for preventing entry of water and dust from the outside.
The wire harness 4 as shown in FIG. 16 connects the camera case 3 to a non-waterproof connector 5r located within a vehicle V. The drain cable 4axe2x80x2 branched from the middle portion of the wire harness 4 is provided with a terminal 5s which is a frame of a vehicle body B through a screw 13c. In this way, the drain wire 4axe2x80x2 serves as an earth.
As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the cable 4axe2x80x2, 4a and the camera 1 are electrically connector-connected in such a manner that a connector housing 5q with the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 connected therewith is fit in the connector housing 2c. In this way, the base plate 1 is electrically connected to the wire harness 4 and non-waterproof connector 5r located within the vehicle V and drain cable 4axe2x80x2. 
An explanation will be given of a typical method of assembling the in-vehicle CCD camera. First, the clamp 10 equipped with the O ring 11 is attached to the wire harness 4. The wire harness 4 is passed through the through-hole 10d of the clamp 10 so that the wire harness 4 and clamp 10 are provisionally fixed.
In the segment of the wire harness 4 which is to be entered into the camera case 3, a tube 4d which protectively covers the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 is cut up by a blade so that the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 are taken out from the tube 4d. A terminal 5p is attached to the end of each of the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2. The terminal 5p is accommodated within the connector housing 5q as shown in FIG. 14.
In order to improve the sealing degree between the wire harness and clamp 10, as shown in FIG. 13, the through-hole 10d of the clamp 10 is subjected to potting processing 12 that resin or rubber is poured into the through-hole 10d. Thus, the wire harness 4 and clamp 10 are secured to each other. The potting processing 12 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 16 improves the airtightness within the camera 3.
The operation of combining the wire harness 4 and the peripheral components thereof is generally referred to assembling the wire harness 4 and connector, or may be simply referred to xe2x80x9cconnector assyxe2x80x9d. In this case, in order that the camera case 3 is connected to the base plate 2, with the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 given a slight redundant length as seen from FIGS. 14 and 15, the clamp 10 is secured to the wire harness 4 at its prescribed position.
As shown in FIG. 16, the clamp 10 is attached to the through-hole 3f of the camera case 3. The threaded portion 10a of the clamp 10 is engaged with the through-hole 3f, i.e. female-threaded hole of the camera case 3 so that the clamp 10 is secured to the camera case 3 as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16. In this case, as seen from FIG. 16, the O-ring 11 and the potting processing 12 keep the airtightness or hermeticity of the inside of the camera case 3.
Thereafter, the base plate 2 with the camera 1, i.e. camera module Y is attached to the camera case 3 as follows. First, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the connector component equipped with the connector housing 5q on the side of the wire harness 4 is connected to the connector component 2c attached to the base plate body 2xe2x80x2.
The camera module Y is attached to the camera case 3 as follows. The through-holes 2b of the base plate body 2xe2x80x2 are aligned with the female threaded holes 3b of the camera case 3 at four corners.
The screws 13b are passed through the through-holes 2b of the base plate body 2xe2x80x2 and screwed in them by a driver. Thus, the screws 13b are tightened into the female threaded holes 3b of the camera case 3. In this way, the camera module Y is secured to the camera case 3 to complete the camera module Z.
A connector wiring device as a related art is disclosed in J-UM-7-42075. J-UM-7-42075 mainly discloses an alignment holding mechanism for automatically aligning a plurality of paired cables without changing the order of their combinations in a line in a connector wiring device for automatically wiring the cores of the plurality of paired cables on a cover for provisionally fixing a connector.
However, as seen from FIGS. 14 and 15, in the conventional technique, the camera module Y was manually connected to the connector attached to the end of the cable 4a. Therefore, a worker was required to make a troublesome operation. Namely, with the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 arranged in the chamber 3e of the camera case and secured by the clamp 10, the assembling made by connecting the connectors provides poor workability.
Concretely, in the prior art, the through-hole 3f through which the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 are to be passed is formed in the camera case 3. The connector attached to the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 passed through the through-hole 3f is connected to another connector attached to the base plate 2. In assembling, therefore, the worker must make a troublesome operation.
In the conventional camera case 3, the through-hole 3f is threaded. In order to enhance the hermeticity, the operator must screw the clamp 10 into the through-hole 3f so that the clamp 10 equipped with the wire harness is installed in the camera case.
FIG. 15 is a perspective view for explaining an inconvenience when the camera module Y is combined with the camera case 3. Namely, as shown in FIG. 15, when the camera module Y is combined with the camera case 3, catching of the cables 4a, 4axe2x80x2 may occur.
An object of this invention is to provide an auxiliary machine module which can connect cables and a base plate while the base plate equipped with an auxiliary machine such as a camera and terminals such as caulking terminals is mounted in a case, thereby reducing the number of components arranged around the auxiliary machine.
Another object of this invention it to provide an auxiliary machine module which can prevent occurrence of catching of electric cables when the base plate equipped with the auxiliary machine such as a camera is mounted in the case.
Still another object of this invention is to provide an auxiliary machine module which can reduce the number of defective articles in connector-connection, and speed up and facilitate assembling.
A further object of this invention is to provide a method of manufacturing an auxiliary machine module which has the features described above.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided an auxiliary machine module comprising:
an auxiliary machine;
a base plate equipped with the auxiliary machine and a caulking connector;
a case in which the base plate is mounted, and
a connector means for electrically connecting the base plate and the case.
In this configuration, the auxiliary machine, base plate and case can be designed in a module so that the number of peripheral components can be reduced, and the module can be reduced in size and weight in a simplified structure. In addition, concurrently with mounting of the base plate in the case, electrical connection can be made therebetween.
Preferably, the base plate has a caulking connector composed of a first connector housing and caulking terminals and the case has a second connector housing in which electric wires are housed, and the connector means is formed when the base plate is attached to the case so that the caulking terminals are caulking-connected to the electric wires.
In this configuration, since caulking connection is made using the caulking terminals, the base plate and case can be electrically connected to each other when they are combined with each other.
Preferably, the first connector housing has a pair of guiding walls which are to be brought into sliding-contact with the second connector before the caulking terminals are caulking-connected to the wires, respectively.
In this configuration, when the base plate is combined with the case, the former can be lowered with no tilting towards the case.
Preferably, the guiding walls are longer than the caulking terminals and shorter than a height of the second connector housing.
In a configuration, the guiding walls serve as a guiding means more appropriately.
Preferably, the first connector housing has a pair of locking pieces and the second connector housing has a pair of engagement portions to be engaged with the pair of locking pieces.
In this configuration, the locking pieces can be fit in the engagement pieces so that the base plate can be coupled with the case easily, quickly and surely.
Preferably, the auxiliary machine is a camera attached to a motor vehicle so that the auxiliary machine module constitutes a camera module.
In this configuration, the camera, base plate and case can be designed in a module so that the number of peripheral components of the camera can be reduced, and the module can be reduced in size and weight in a simplified structure. In addition, concurrently with mounting of the base plate in the case, electrical connection can be made therebetween.
In accordance with this invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing an auxiliary machine module comprising the steps:
attaching an auxiliary machine to a base plate; and
mounting the base plate in a case so that the base plate is electrically connected to the case by means of a connector means.
In a such a method, the auxiliary machine module can be assembled quickly and effectively.
Preferably, in the method of manufacturing the auxiliary machine module, the base plate has a caulking connector composed of a first connector housing and caulking terminals and the case has a second connector housing in which electric wires are housed, and the connector means is formed when the base plate is attached to the case so that the caulking terminals are caulking-connected to the electric wires.
In the method, using the caulking connector, the caulking terminals are caulking-connected to the wires on the case. Therefore, concurrently with assembling of the auxiliary machine module, the base plate can be electrically connected to the case.
In the method of manufacturing an auxiliary machine, the auxiliary machine is a camera attached to a motor vehicle so that the auxiliary machine module constitutes a camera module.
Therefore, even when the camera and its peripheral components malfunction, the camera module can be easily dismantled so that it can be removed from the motor vehicle, and easily inspected and repaired.
The above and other objects and features of the invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.